(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an operation system for an umbrella, and more particularly, to an operation system for a multiple-section umbrella and requires no button spring.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
A conventional operation system for a multiple-section umbrella 100 is shown in FIG. 9 and generally includes a button spring 102 retractably protrudes out from a slot 101a defined through the wall of the shaft of the umbrella 100. The runner 103 is stopped by its bottom to maintain the position of the runner 103 when the umbrella 100 is opened. However, the shaft 101 of the umbrella 100 has to make the slot 101a so as to receive the button spring 102. The movement of the button spring 102 easily hurt the user's finger or the shaft 101 is damaged if the button spring 102 is mis-operated.
Another improved umbrella 200 is developed and disclosed in FIG. 10. A top end piece 202 is connected to the top of the shaft 201 and a runner 203 is movably mounted to the shaft 201. The top end piece 202 includes a clamp plate 202a extending downward therefrom and the lower end of the clamp plate 202a slightly extends outward. A protrusion 202b extends outward from the clamp plate 202a. The runner 203 has a recess 203a defined transversely in a middle portion thereof and a shoulder 203b is formed at the top periphery of the recess 203a. When the runner 203 moves upward, the protrusion 202b of the clamp plate 202a of the top end piece 202 is engaged with the shoulder 203b to keep the umbrella opened and the protrusion 202b is exposed from the recess 203a. When folding the umbrella, the user pushes the protrusion 202b to remove the runner 203 from the clamp plate 202a so that the umbrella is folded.
FIG. 11 shows yet another improved umbrella 300 which includes a top end piece 303 connected to the top of the shaft 301 and a resilient member 303a is connected to the top end piece 303, and a hook 303b is connected to the lower end of the resilient member 303a. The runner 302 is located below the hook 303b and has a notch 302a. A ring 302b is mounted to the runner 302 so that when the runner 302 moves upward, the resilient member 303a makes the hook 303b to be hooked with the ring 302b of the notch 302a so that the umbrella is kept to opened status. When folding the umbrella, the hook 303b is pushed to separate the runner 302 from the resilient member 303a. 
FIG. 12 shows yet another improved umbrella 400 which includes a top end piece 402 connected to the top of the shaft 401 and a resilient member 402a is connected to the extension portion of the top end piece 402. When the runner 403 moves upward, the resilient member 402a is engaged with the underside of the runner 403 to keep the umbrella to be opened. When folding the umbrella, the resilient member 402a is pushed to separate the runner 403 from the resilient member 402a of the top end piece 402.
All of the three improved operation systems do not include the slot defined in the shaft, but the user still has to push the protrusion/resilient member to fold the umbrella. The action is inconvenient to the users because when pushing the protrusion/resilient member, the user's finger might be injured by the movement of the protrusion/resilient member, or the clamp plate or the protrusion/resilient member may be damaged.
FIGS. 13 and 14 show a further improved umbrella 500, wherein the runner 502 is movably mounted to the shaft 501 and includes a operation member 503 connected to the runner 502. The shaft 501 includes shoulders 501a protruding therefrom. The runner 502 has engaging members 502a on two sides thereof, which are engaged with the shoulders 501a when the moving the operation member 503 together with the runner 502 to keep the umbrella 500 to be opened. When folding the, umbrella 500, the operation member 503 is pulled downward, the two engaging members 502a are disengaged from the shoulders 501a, and the runner 502 moves downward to fold the umbrella 500.
Although there is no protrusion or resilient member to be pushed inward, the engagement between the engaging members 502a and the shoulders 501a is not secured enough, especially when the umbrella is used in a windy day or the umbrella shakes, the engaging members 502a are easily disengaged from the shoulders 501a. Such structure is restricted to be used for umbrella with a single shaft, and cannot be used to multiple-section shaft. The multiple sections have different inner diameters so that the engaging members 502a are difficult to be engaged with the small-diameter section of the shaft. The inner diameter of the runner cannot shrink along with the change of the multiple sections of the shaft so that the inner diameter of the runner has to be larger than the diameter of the largest section of the shaft, so that when the runner moves to the narrow section, the engagement between the shoulders and the engaging members will be too weak to hold the opened umbrella.
The present invention intends to provide an operation system for umbrellas wherein the system does not include any part needed to be pushed inward to fold the umbrella.